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[Page 24]
At 0110 the enemy, estimated 500 in strength, attacked the above mentioned post with hand and rifle grenades. On the 8th Light Horse Regiment calling for artillery support by means of flares at 0130 the 268th Brigade, R.F.A., and the Hong Kong and Singapore mountain battery opened up intense artillery fire on all enemy approaches. Part of the Gloucester Yeomanry, 48 all ranks, in strength, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Palmer, D.S.O., moved from the position at El Burj to support the 8th Light Horse Regiment and at 0150 reinforced the 8th Light Horse Regiment in the fighting line where the fighting had now developed.
At 0200 the 8th Light Horse Regiment post on the right was forced to withdraw 200 to 300 yards toward the main line of defence. The enemy was now attacking heavily and pressed on toward the main line of defence, using bombs of both cricket ball and stick type, rifle grenades and automatic rifles. Their advance was covered by an enemy battery firing from Suffa, and one trench mortar firing from the neighborhood of Shilta. At this time Lieut.-Col. Stewart Richardson, commanding 1/4th Royal Scots Fusiliers came to Brigade Headquarters and offered the assistance of his infantry, (who were not now under the command of the Brigade); this officer [offer] was gladly accepted, and two companies, 130 all ranks, were sent to the support of the 8th Light Horse Regiment. An exceptionally fine feeling of comradeship had ever existed between the Scotch and Australian troops but this would be the first occasion in the campaign when they had fought together.
At 0230 one of the above companies of the 1/4th Royal Scots Fusiliers reinforced the 8th Light Horse Regiment and at once operated with Mills grenades with great effect, and assisted materially in holding up the enemy attack.
At 0300 the enemy was held up within 30 yards of our main position, throughout the attack the 9th Light Horse Regiment was bringing enfilade fire, with rifles, machine guns, and Hotchkiss rifles, to bear on the enemy.
At 0315 the enemy appeared to be held. At this time the second company 1/4th Royal Scots Fusiliers reached 8th Light Horse Regimental Headquarters. The bombers were at once detached and immediately put into the firing line.
At 0400 the enemy fire and bombing had considerably decreased. The attack had failed.
At 0520 a large party of enemy were observed under cover in front of our positions. Their retirement had been prevented by the enfilade fire of the 9th Light Horse Regiment and the machine guns attached.
On movement towards this party by 8th Light Horse Regiment a machine gun and Hotchkiss rifle barrage was put down by 9th Light Horse Regiment from their position on the left front. Our two batteries put down a barrage behind the enemy also. This party surrendered and 105 unwounded prisoners were captured, among them being the Commanding Officer of the Battalion.
Our total casualties were 56, of which 39 were in the 8th Light Horse Regiment. 17 wounded Turkish prisoners were brought in during the day.
A captured Medical Officer stated that the attacking forces consisted of the assault battalion of the 19th Division and that exclusive of the wounded which had been evacuated by him early in the fight, there were none of the Battalion left. A few days later three men, who said they belonged to this battalion, came in and surrendered, saying that their comrades were either killed or with us as prisoners, and that they were lonely and wanted to join the later [latter].
This assault battalion consisted of specially picked troops, their physique was the best we had ever seen amongst Turkish prisoners. The battalion had only arrived a few days before from the Galician front. They were all armed with bombs and most of them wore German type of steel helmet. One man had thrown 92 bombs, (as was evidence by the number of metal clips), before he was shot through the head.
Included in the captured material were 8 automatic rifles, similar in pattern, to our own Hotchkiss rifles.
For service in this action the following decorations were awarded:- Captain MacPherson and Lieut. Peppercorn, military crosses; S.S.M. Currington and Trooper Keeble, D.C.M.'s.
At 0600, 1st December, the original line held by the Brigade, was re-occupied.